Sustainable DHBs good for health too

DHBs in the
South Island are working together to address climate change
and promote environmental sustainability to improve the
health of current and future populations.

The effects and
reality of Climate Change have been highlighted by the
definitive reports recently released by the UN’s
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and by activities
happening this annual Earth Day (April 22).

The Public
Health Partnership (PHP), one of many work streams in an
Alliance of South Island DHBs working toward improved South
Island population health, has formed a workgroup to support
DHBs to actively address sustainability in the delivery of
DHB services.

Medical Officer of Health at Public Health
South, and member of the new sustainability workgroup, Dr
Derek Bell said that although the links between environment
and health have long been acknowledged, the health sector
increasingly understands the relationship between climate
and health.

“Climate change is recognised as one of the
most important emerging threats to public health. Examples
of associated health effects include those arising from
extreme weather events, increased vector-borne diseases,
food and water shortages, displaced
populations.”

“Mitigating environmental causes of
illness and maintaining wellbeing is one of the health
sector’s most important preventative measures. Sustainable
delivery of health services, to maximise dollars and
resources, are important too.”

“DHBs are major
infrastructural organisations with large carbon footprints.
If we are not able to prioritise environmental
sustainability, we will incur massive health, environmental
and financial costs downstream,” he said.

Characteristic
to the South Island Alliance’s ‘whole-of-system’
approach, the Partnership’s work aligns with another work
stream, Support Services, which is guiding regional
efficiencies and sustainability in laundering and linen
usage, food services, procurement, facilities management and
engineering, waste and energy.

In SDHB and NMDHB, for
example, linen usage principles have been adopted by the
DHB’s support services so that linen and laundering are
more efficient and use less water and power.In
Canterbury DHB, a sustainability officer is in the process
of being recruited, the fourth DHB in New Zealand to make
such an appointment.

Dr Bell points to the UK, where a
national sustainable approach to health is progressing
well.

”While New Zealand has an opportunity to learn
from healthcare sustainability initiatives overseas, closer
to home Counties Manukau DHB are leading the way nationally
with their Certified Emissions Measurement And Reduction
Scheme (greenhouse gas emissions reduction)
accreditation.

“This shows that our New Zealand
healthcare system can show leadership and make a real
difference by responding to and mitigating the very real
threats to health of climate
change.”

EndsAdditional quotes, sources:1.
The NZ College of PH and NZMA Position statements and the
ASMS remit “That the Association urges immediate action by
government to mitigate the detrimental effects of climate
change on the health of New Zealanders by ensuring that
government policies and actions support environmentally
sustainable practices.”2. The latest
IPCC reports and news release on climate mitigation can be
found herehttp://ipcc.ch/news_and_events/press_information.shtml.3.
Four-page feature on NHS greening medicine article
available4. Health Sector in NZ are
doing it: - Waitemata DHB Sustainability officer “Health
board leads way in eco-savings” through active transport,
waste , energy, procurement; Counties Manukau DHB carbon
emissions reduction (CEMARS); Nelson Marlborough DHB
sustainability policy; GP Greening Your Practice toolkit;
BUPA waste reduction strategies; Christchurch Hospital
rebuild’s sustainable design features.5.
For more info about CEMARS certification, see: https://www.carbonzero.co.nz/cemars/).6.
In 2013, UK emissions covered by the Kyoto Protocol were
provisionally estimated to be 569.9 million tonnes carbon
dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) (Dept of Energy and climate
change), while over 2008-2012 in New Zealand, total
emissions were 372.8 Mt CO2-e (Ministry of Environment),
both at the top end of per capita emitters
worldwide.

About the South Island AllianceThe
South Island Alliance is the collaboration of the five DHBs
to develop more innovative, sustainable and efficient health
services, than could be achieved independently, to provide
South Islanders equitable and timely access to safe,
effective, high-quality services, as close to their homes as
possible.Priority areas have been identified, focusing
on the health of children, older persons, mental health,
support services, information services, sector training,
quality and safety, cancer, public health, emergency
planning, elective, stroke and cardiac services.These
work streams are steered and chaired by members of the DHBs
and related sector organisation members, providing a truly
representational
leadership.

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